Millenium Trials: Scroll 1: Fatal Union
by Densetsuno Youko
Summary: YYHxover. A battle between heaven and hell leaves Kagome, a new Guardian Angel, stranded on earth with no memories. Things only get worse when she becomes the betting object of two notorious demons.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: The usual…I don't own Inuyasha or YYH… (I need some variation)…

**Author's Notes: **As usual, don't assume any relationships between the characters.

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**Dark World Invasion**

"Dang, where are my robes?" a young archangel demanded, running around her chamber in frantic circles, tossing assortments of robes and clothing into the air. "I could have sworn I put it away." she cried in distress, nearly tripping over the pile of clothing she had accumulated in the center of the room.

Slapping her forehead with her palm, she swung her chamber doors wide open and poked her head outside. "Serenity, where did I put my robes?" she screamed down the hall.

Several heads popped out of their chambers to regard their leader with confused looks. "What are you looking at? Did I grow a wart or something?" the archangel demanded in an annoyed tone. Immediately, all the angels retreated back to their rooms and bolted their doors – it didn't take a genius to figure out that their boss was beyond furious. "SERENITY!" the archangel yelled with renewed vigor.

"Yes, Sango-sama?" a pale angel asked in a shivering voice. "I-I apologize for my tardiness." The archangel waved her hand in a forgiving manner before motioning for the shaking angel to step into her bedchamber. Reluctantly nodding her head, the angel nervously ambled into her superior's room.

"Serenity, did you see my robes?" Sango asked while bending over to check underneath her bedding. "You know, the white robe with gold embroidery - the one for extremely special occasions?" she added before turning to face the angel again. Serenity's face lit up with understanding when she finally comprehended what Sango was talking about.

"Oh, you mean that one!" Serenity smiled, showing her pearly whites. "Miroku-sama has them. I saw him running off with it earlier this afternoon." Sango's face paled as the angel rambled on, oblivious to her superior's hidden rage. "He said something about giving your robes an exorcism because he felt some very powerful darkness lingering on it."

"And you believed him?" Sango growled, causing the angel to tumble backwards in an undignified manner.

"He said…he said you had an encounter with a Dark World General; therefore, if the robe isn't purified, you'll…you'll…"

"That pervert," the archangel hissed before storming out of her room, eyes blazing red with fury. "The last encounter we had with the Dark World was over 300 years ago."

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"Uh, are you sure this is appropriate?" a carrot-toped warrior clad in silver amour asked, eyeing the piece of clothing in his superior's hand. His commander flashed him a perverted, assuring smile in response before burying his face into the cloth. "Um Sir, the army is awaiting your leadership."

"Ah, yes, training." the commander murmured, absently nodding his head. "I'll be there right away…"

**BAM…**

"Miroku, you grade _A_ pervert, unhand my clothes!" Sango growled as she stormed into Miroku's chamber. Shoving the bulky warrior to one side of the room, she pinned Miroku with a deadly glare. Her eyes slowly traveled to the robes clutched tightly in his hand. "YOU PERVERT!" Sango screamed, slamming her fist into his skull.

"Kazuma, leave us." Miroku gasped out from between the assaults the furious archangel was dealing to his skull. The warrior dumbly nodded his head before scrambling out of the room to return to his position in the army. "Sango, my lovely…ow…"

**Bam…**

"Miroku, I need…help…" Keiko trailed off before a dark blush crept across her cheeks. "Sorry, I didn't mean to barge in on…well, sorry." Keiko apologized as Sango quickly distanced herself from Miroku. A perverted grin was permanently etched on Miroku's face as Sango's face flushed a crimson red. "Um, I'll talk to you later, Miroku. Sorry for…" Keiko trailed off as her face mirrored Sango's color.

"Nothing happened!" Sango stated as calmly as could while trying to smooth out her robes. "The pervert stole my clothes." the disheveled archangel explained to her comrade.

"Oh," Keiko whispered before nodding her head in understanding. "In this case, then maybe you two can help me." the archangel continued in a slightly more cheerful tone. "You see, I just realized that the humans are still offering us live sacrifices – usually poor, innocent children."

"What do you mean? We had never accepted live sacrifices." Miroku answered, his purple eyes widening slightly.

"No, no, no, that's not what I meant, though it did kind of sound like that." Keiko quickly corrected.

"What Keiko means to ask is why we aren't doing anything to stop human sacrifices. We all know human sacrifices are something only a Dark World creep could come up with. But what disturbs me is the fact that the humans believe WE want these sacrifices, when we are highly opposed to it." Sango explained.

Miroku took a step closer to Sango while keeping his sorrowful eyes on Keiko. "I can understand what you are feeling right now, my dear Keiko." he sympathized. "Even I feel it's outrageous! How much worst it must be for you, an archangel of love! You must loath to watch these gruesome slaughtering of the innocent."

**Whack.**

"Keep your hands to yourself, pervert." Sango warned. "You're the only one I know who can sympathize and comfort someone while trying to cope a feel at the same time! I sometimes wonder why you aren't fired yet! Though I don't know why you were appointed Supreme Commander of the Army in the first place!" The archangel moved from standing beside Miroku to a safer position across from him where she could keep an eye on his wandering hands 24/7.

"Guys, please don't fight." Keiko interrupted. "We have more important things, remember?"

"Why don't you bring that subject up at the next Tenshi Meeting, Keiko? It's only a few weeks from now."

"But," Keiko protested in an unhappy tone.

"Keiko, as much as I hate to admit this, I have to remind you that we don't have that much power, even if we are archangels. We've only just received this position ten years ago. We need the approval of the elder archangels." Sango explained before hissing to Miroku, "Give me my robes…NOW!"

"I guess so," Keiko replied glumly.

"You have my vote of approval!" Miroku chirped as he discreetly positioned himself beside his beloved archangel when her attention was on her companion. With a perverted grin, he slowly brushed his hand across Sango's bottom.

**SLAP.**

"Damn it, keep your hands to yourself and mind your own business." Sango hissed. "You're the supreme commander of the army, not the leader of the archangels! Your vote of approval means nothing more than crap."

"Ouch, that hurts, my lovely Sango." Miroku sighed, placing his hand across his heart. Keiko's face fell into a deep frown at the thought of not being able to do anything about the human sacrifices.

"Isn't there any other way? For some reason, I have a gut feeling that the elders might not be very interested in this." Keiko whispered.

"Well, of course there's another way." Sango smiled. "The crowning of the new Princess is only two weeks from now." Keiko cocked her head to one side in confusion as the other archangel sighed in exasperation. "Don't you know anything?"

"What about the crowning?" Keiko muttered.

"During each crowning, a deity is appointed to become his/her fiancé or fiancée. If it the crowning of a Princess, she will become the future Queen, and the chosen male deity becomes the future King. If it is the crowning of a Prince, he will become the future King, and the chosen female deity becomes the Queen." the archangel explained in barely concealed excitement. "In addition, a mystic animal is given as a protector and friend."

"I'm sorry Sango, but I fail to see the point in this." Keiko admitted, shoulders sagging slightly.

"Let me finish!" Sango snapped. "Furthermore, an archangel is appointed to become his/her highness's personal advisor and confidant. If it is a princess, a female archangel is chosen. If it is a prince, then a male archangel is chosen. If I am right, the third generation is crowning a princess." Sango added, causing Keiko's eyes to widen. "The archangel appointed to become the personal advisor of the princess also becomes the leader of the archangels – giving her power over ALL the archangels and angels. Once that happens, there isn't much the archangel can't do!"

"How could I have forgotten?" Miroku groaned. "I knew I was forgetting something important!"

"Wow, Leader of the Archangels…I'll be able to stop this massacre." Keiko whispered, her eyes glittering with excitement.

"I can't wait till the crowning. It's a pity no one but the King, Queen, and the Deities are allowed to see her highness. Even worst, we don't even have her ladyship's name!" Miroku whispered with a small sniffle. "I'm sure she is a beauty beyond compare. Of course, except you, my dear Sango, the most beautiful woman in this universe!"

"Save your crap for someone who actually cares." Sango replied, much to Miroku's dismay.

"I must be appointed," Keiko murmured in a determined tone. Sango chuckled when she noticed her companion was practically on cloud nine. "Two weeks…"

"That's why I'm here in the first place," Sango grinned. "I need my best robes for the crowning, but no, the pervert decides to steal them!" she concluded. "Now give me my robes back or I'll bring this to the Supreme Council as a high offense!" Miroku held his hand up in defeat as Sango continued to fume.

"Sango dear, no need to bring it to the…Supreme Council, here you go." Miroku smiled, handing the archangel her set of pristine white clothes. "You'll look lovely in those, might I add." Miroku complimented, making Sango blush a dark red.

"Come on Keiko, let's go. We need to train if we even want to compete for that position with all the other archangels. Only the best will be chosen for the princess." Sango muttered, refusing to look at Miroku.

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A proud angel gracefully walked up and down the line, examining the newly appointed personals with a critical eye. "Step up in the order you have been placed from left to right. When you step up, announce your name and your rank. I will decide your fate afterwards." she announced, causing the new recruits to shiver in fear.

"Rin," a small voice chirped, seemingly unfazed by her superior's cold demeanor. "I'm a Messenger! I'm please to meet you, Lady Kikyou!"

The angel's eyes softened at the sight of the young child, but quickly hardened when she remembered other angels were watching her. "I asked for name and rank, not a greeting." Rin nodded her head and seemed to shrink under Kikyou's hard glare. "You will train to become a proper messenger under Hannah." she stated, inclining her head towards another angel, who was smiling brightly at the young child. Rin gave a small, clumsy curtsy before hurrying towards her mentor.

"Ayame," a young woman with auburn hair announced when Kikyou asked for the next one in line, "Guardian."

"Sam," Kikyou answered, indicating to a handsome angel with golden hair. "When he deems you ready, he'll give you permission to go to earth to begin your duties - Next."

"Botan," smiled a blue-haired girl, "I'm a Maiden."

"John," replied Kikyou. A young man around Botan's age flashed the newly appointed Maiden a boyish grin. Botan blushed as Kikyou continued to give directions. "Work hard and maybe someday you'll become a Guardian."

And the list went on with a variation of Messengers, Maidens, Guards, and Guardians being assigned to an angel. A messenger was on the bottom of the food chain and only became a Maiden (for a female) or a Guard (for a male) after proving themselves worthy of ascending to a higher rank. But for a Maiden or Guard to be appointed to the position of Guardian, they had to accumulate a certain number of good deeds, which could take up to centuries depending on what they had accomplished.

Every thirty years, the High Angels (which happens to include Kikyou in this case) evaluates everyone's progress and raises them to a higher rank if they deem them worthy. But regardless of what positions they held, they would always be assigned a mentor – an angel to keep them in line. Of course, that is until the Guardian becomes an angel himself, gets appointed to the council, or gets enrolled into the army. However, these chances were slim to none because all angels were appointed by Archangels, who rarely associated with the lower class (Anyone below the rank of an Angel). The Guardians must accomplish something extremely significant for an Archangel to notice him. To be appointed to the council required an extreme amount of wisdom and impartiality because like the archangels, the counselors didn't like associating themselves with the lower class. Similarly, to be enrolled into the army required an outstanding amount of power (or else, like the aforementioned groups, they wouldn't be noticed) because Chief Commander was always too busy flirting with his female counterparts.

Kikyou barely reigned in a sigh when she finally came to the last person – her list always got longer and longer every time the thirty year Promotion rolled around. After all, all the exceptionally good humans become Messengers, but only a handful of Guardians become appointed to a higher rank every few centuries. Life was harsh, but paradise wasn't that much better.

"Kagome," the last person in line cheerful grinned, "Guardian."

A pause followed as Kikyou scanned through the list available angels…there weren't any. "It looks like you're going to be tailing me." Kikyou finished, looking up to find Kagome gaping at her like a dead fish.

"You've got to be kidding." she whispered.

"Dismissed," Kikyou announced, clapping her hands together three times. After everyone had scattered, the angel turned to Kagome, who was curiously taking in her surroundings. "As you know, I am one of the 144 High Angels – I am Kikyou – the Angel of Peace. Though you are my charge, I am busy everyday from morning till night, which leaves me not much time to teach you the proper ways of a Guardian."

"When do I get to go to earth?" interrupted Kagome.

Kikyou glared at her charge, if there was one thing she hated, it was being interrupted. "Not until I deem you ready for such a task."

"Why can't I go now? I'm ready!"

"You will talk to me with respect."

"Yes Lady Kikyou." When the angel had her back turned to her charge, Kagome stuck out her tongue and made childish faces.

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"John is so nice to me!" Botan giggled as she daintily nibbled on a piece of roasted chicken. The whole dining room, which stretched for miles on end, was packed with Messengers, Maidens, Guards, and Guardians – breakfast, lunch, and dinner was one of the few times all of the lower class members were gathered together. There were 144 division, each division was watched by a High Angel (sadly, Kagome thought, she had Kikyou) who controlled a portion of the angels and lower class.

To say the least, Kagome was not fond of Kikyou, but she felt triumphant knowing Kikyou wasn't pleased either. Kikyou – or Lady Kikyou, as she was supposed to be addressed – had to answer to the whim of the Archangels. There were 12 Archangels – each Archangel controlled 12 High Angels (therefore controlling the angels and lower class). But then, the Archangels were under the power of the Elder Archangels…Kagome frowned, the whole I control them but you control me, therefore controlling all that I'm controlling really left her with a migraine.

"Sam's nice to me too," Ayame whispered, "and he's cute!"

"How was your day, Kagome? I envy you and Ayame for being Guardians!" Botan pouted, faking a sniffle.

Kagome grinned, "Envy me? That's a laugh! You try spending a day tailing Kikyou, and then you tell me you envy me!"

"That bad, huh?" smirked Ayame as she downed her juice. "Anyway, what division were you in before? I mean, me and Botan have ALWAYS been under Kikyou. We've never seen you before and we know everyone in our division…if you know what I mean. And even though we change mentors every thirty years, we don't change divisions – so, what made you so special?" she asked with a small smile.

"Well, you see…" Kagome began as she fidgeted.

"**ATTENTION!**" shouted the 144 High Angels in unison, successfully saving Kagome from answering Ayame's question. All the noise died down as each High Angel attempted to explain at once.

Finally, they agreed to let Kikyou do the talking. Kikyou stretched out her white wings, which had been hidden by magic, and floated into the air. In a grim, but commanding voice, she stated, "The Dark World has launched a surprise attack on us, led by the Dark Chief Commander and Deity of Destruction themselves. Our army is holding them off as best as they can, but we were taken off guard by the sudden attack. Everyone, regardless of rank or station, is to pick up weapons and fight."

In a whirlwind of motions, Kagome soon found herself standing beside Ayame, bow drawn and ready to fire at the first sign of the enemy. Kagome could feel sweat coursing down her brow in worry and anticipation – she had never met a Dark World creature before – what did they look like? Were they as ruthless as they were said to be?

Her questions were soon answered when a horde of people clad in black rushed towards them, swords poised to kill and amputate. Kagome's eyes widened – they looked like them – they weren't creatures or beasts – they had all once either been a human or youkai.

"Attack!" shouted Kikyou as she launched her first arrow, which signified the beginning of the first war in history to take place in heaven.

Kagome felt dirty and stained - weren't they the good ones? Then why did they have to kill them as if they were nothing but beasts? What better were they than the Dark World when they killed as mercilessly as them? She felt a tear slide down her cheek as she stabbed another Dark Warrior through the heart with the tip of her arrow.

Just as she pulled the arrow out of the corpse's body, a black arrow was shot towards her. Kagome opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came. Millimeters before the arrow impaled her face, a large hand caught the arrow in mid-air.

"Get out of here, Lady. I'll take care of this." stated Kuwabara as Kagome quickly nodded her head and scrambled off. "Urameshi, I'm going to kick your butt and make you wish you had never been born!"

"Ha, what makes you think you can defeat me, Kuwabara?" snorted a young boy with black hair that was jelled back. "You couldn't defeat me three hundred years ago in the last battle on Earth when we were both warriors – you for the light and I for the darkness. What makes you think you can defeat me now that I am the Supreme Commander of the Dark Army?"

"WHAT?" shrieked Kuwabara before a hand connected with his skull.

"Pay attention Kazuma." hissed a young woman as she lopped off the head of the Dark Warrior who almost stabbed Kuwabara through the heart.

"Shizuru!" cried Kuwabara, glancing at his sister before quickly turning his attention back to his opponent, who was suddenly only a foot away from his face. With a loud yelp, he felt Yusuke's fist connect with his face, sending him sailing backwards. Yusuke quickly followed and prepared to deal the final blow when it was countered by a new addition.

"You've gotten a lot stronger," hissed Miroku – Yusuke's punch had rattled his whole body, sending pain shooting through every fiber of his being.

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"You bastard," hissed Sango when she narrowly missed being sliced right down the middle by the Dark Deity of Destruction. She cried out in pain when the enemy's energy whip grazed her skin, causing her flesh to sizzle.

"It ends," he whispered – his patience was wearing thin. The woman had fought better than he had anticipated. The fight had left him with a few minor cuts and scratches, a feat that not many accomplished, especially by a woman. Easily forming a dark bow and arrow in his hands, he strung the bow and launched the arrow at the Archangel. It whizzed through the air and just before it made impact with the paralyzed Sango (from the poison); a slightly younger girl pushed the Archangel out of harm's way, taking the hit instead.

The Dark Deity's eyes widened slightly at this rare show of devotion. He was even more surprised when Sango whispered, "Who are you and why did you save me?"

Kagome dropped to her knees in pain when an arrow was lodged into her arm. She wasn't sure what had overcame her when she did what she did, but she knew she couldn't just stand there and watch another one of comrades die. She quickly gasped for breath when she was lifted off the ground by her neck. She stared into cold, molten-gold eyes – eyes of the Dark Deity.

"Sesshoumaru, release her! Your fight is with me!" shouted Sango in desperation. She wasn't sure who the girl was, but she wasn't about to let someone else die in her place.

Kagome gently wrapped her small hands around the Deity's wrist – the pain in her arm momentarily forgotten in the face of death.

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TBC

Read and Review. ;)


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or YYH.

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**The Aftermath**

Golden eyes bore into soft, blue ones. Sesshoumaru tightened his grip on the girl's neck – no one got in his way without paying the consequences. She had to die, but then, why hadn't he snapped her neck yet? He found his eyes locked on her innocent blue eyes – eyes that held purity and ignorance. He snapped out of his thoughts when he felt her small hands gently wrap around his wrist.

"Leave her alone!" Sango shouted as she struggled to move.

Sesshoumaru snapped his head up when he felt several powerful energies moving towards the battlefield at break-neck speeds. The reinforcements had arrived – _He_ was here.

"Watch out!" shouted Ayame, deflecting an arrow that had been aimed at the defenseless Sango. Ayame quickly heaved Sango to her feet as more Dark Warriors surrounded them.

Without thinking and unsure of what drove him to do this one act of mercy, Sesshoumaru waved his free arm, creating a black portal that swirled with dark energy. Just as his long-time rival arrived, he tossed the injured girl into the black hole – if she lived, so be it – if she died, it wasn't his problem.

"No!" Sango shouted as she watched the Dark Deity toss the girl who had risked her life for her to her doom. "I'll never forgive you for this, Sesshoumaru! I swear I will kill you!" she cried as she surged forward, prepared to fight to the death. Sesshoumaru was slightly surprised the archangel had been able to move, but in her weakened condition, she was nothing but an idle threat. He easily smacked her to one side as the other girl, Ayame, charged towards him.

Ayame gasped when her enemy easily snatched her sword from her hand – he was definitely not _just _a Dark Warrior. Her thoughts were severed when she felt her ribs collapse under her enemy's repeated assaults. Ayame released a shrilling cry when she was sent soaring through the air by the enemy's powerful dark energy. She waited for the hard impact, but was surprised when gentle arms enveloped her, cushioning her fall.

Ayame turned her head and instantly became enraptured by her savior's ethereal looks. She winced in pain when he gently settled her on the ground next to the barely conscious Sango. It was hard to breathe because of the pain that accompanied each breath, but Ayame was determined not to cry out again – she would not give her enemy the pleasure of knowing he had caused her pain.

"Kurama," Sesshoumaru stated; his eyes hardening at the sight of the red-head.

"You will not win tonight. Reinforcements are arriving – you were foolish to attack us on unknown territory." Kurama smoothly replied, belaying his inner turmoil. He would have arrived earlier with the reinforcements if news hadn't spread about the Princess being kidnapped. "Give us back the Princess and we will allow you safe passage home."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes before unsheathing the demon blade from his waist. Ayame bit back a startled gasp at the sudden release of dark energy – it was suffocating…not that she could breathe very well to begin with. The Dark Deity chose not to reply as he clashed blades with his sworn enemy. They exchanged blows, but their powers were equally matched.

Hours later, the battle around them slowly ceased. The Dark Army was on one side, headed by Yusuke Urameshi. The Army of Light was on the other, led by Miroku, who was being supported by Kuwabara and Shizuru. They had slowly stopped fighting when both sides felt their energies deplete. The only two left standing and still fighting were Sesshoumaru and Kurama. Both were severely wounded, but neither intended to lose this battle.

Ayame watched enraptured by the battle, not even noticing when Botan timidly asked if she was all right. Kohaku, Sango's younger brother, was trying his best to clean out the residing poison in his sister's system with the aide of Keiko. However, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up when Yusuke shouted 'retreat' at the top of his lungs after both Sesshoumaru and Kurama were flung back after a powerful exchange of blows.

Sesshoumaru didn't budge, keeping his eyes glued on his opponent. Kurama must have felt the same way, because a second later, they were clashing again. Their swords were locked – the battle was reduced to one of brute strength as each tried to push the other back. "Return the princess," Kurama panted.

"Damn it Sesshoumaru! I don't know what your limits are, but at the moment, I don't give a damn! We have to go NOW! We have just received a direct order from the King to retreat!" Without waiting for his companion, Yusuke quickly retreated with the remaining Dark Warriors.

Sesshoumaru clenched his teeth before swiftly jumping back, causing Kurama to stumble forward. "We'll finish this another time." he growled before running to catch up with Yusuke.

Kurama dropped to his knees and closed his eyes. The ground beneath him was quickly coated with a thin layer of his blood. "Commander," Kurama shouted, startling Miroku out of his reverie.

"Yes sir," Miroku replied, quickly standing straighter.

"Prepare for war in a week."

"What? Milord, but many of us…"

"They have the princess!"

Miroku's eyes widened, the seriousness of the situation finally clicked in his mind. "Yes sir, my army will be ready for war in exactly a week. We will get the princess back or die trying."

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Sesshoumaru headed towards his office after receiving treatment from Tsubaki, the Dark Healer. She had stopped his bleeding, healed his minor wounds, and reduced the size of his major wounds. Before he even reached his office, his sensitive nose detected the scent of his despised half-brother, who no doubt, heard of his lose and came to rub it in his face.

As soon as he entered his office, where not even a ray of light could shine through, he spotted the silhouette of his younger sibling. He didn't have to wait long – the idiot began talking immediately. "Hey, why are you back already? Did you win or lose?" a gruff voice taunted, though he already knew the answer. Sesshoumaru, instead of replying, made his way towards his table. "Hey, I'm talking to you, Sesshoumaru!"

"That will be Sesshoumaru-sama to you." the Dark Deity replied in a frigid voice coated with disdain. "As for answering you, I feel uncompelled to do so. Don't overstep your station, or you'll soon find yourself in more trouble than you can handle." he warned, but not because he cared.

"Keh, you can cut the 'I'm superior to you crap'! I'm not taking ANY orders from you!"

"Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru hissed in a cold voice. "As your superior and _elder _half-brother, I demand respect from you." A sneer of utter contempt could be heard from the younger sibling. Inuyasha turned from his elder brother in favor of regarding a large pool of murky, black water.

"Show me Sesshoumaru's pathetic loss today." Inuyasha commanded the inky, black water. It gave a small ripple, but soon stilled. "Damn it, I said show me his pathetic face after losing!" The water shook slightly, but no changes could be seen. A superior smirk lighted Sesshoumaru's lips as he stepped up to the pool of water.

"Show me what the idiot, Inuyasha, has been doing in my absence." Sesshoumaru calmly commanded. The water swirled rapidly before a vision of Inuyasha running into a village formed on the surface of the liquid. A few seconds passed before Inuyasha stopped right in the middle of a town square and pushed over several of the human's markets. Then with quick agility, he moved away, making it appear as if the neighboring human had pushed over the other human's market. Soon, a brawl had started as the humans began accusing each other.

"Why can't I see you!" demanded Inuyasha while crossing his arms across his chest.

"Your antics are childish and pathetic." Sesshoumaru commented as he continued to watch the argument between the humans. "And I've told you before that this water will only show you images of those who are beneath you."

"Are you saying you're saying you're superior to me?" Inuyasha demanded angrily, fisting his hands into tight balls.

"I did not say that." Sesshoumaru replied, much to his half-brother's surprise. "Because there is no need to repeat a fact." he finished, causing Inuyasha's blood to boil with fury. Without a glance at his sibling, Sesshoumaru headed for the double doors, intent on leaving, even though he had just entered his office a little while ago. Any extended period of time spent in his half-brother's presence could cause him a severe headache.

"Hey damn it, where's Youko?" Inuyasha demanded, halting Sesshoumaru from leaving the room.

"That would be Youko-sama to you." Sesshoumaru corrected with a tint of annoyance in his words. "As for his whereabouts, that will not concern the likes of you." he stated, before slamming the doors tightly shut behind him. Inuyasha was once again enveloped in total darkness.

"Damn you Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha hissed, digging his long, sharp nails into his flesh. Drops of fresh blood rolled down his hand and splattered onto the floor, the scent and sound being the only indication of his injury.

&&&

Kagome slowly allowed her eyes to flutter open. The first thing she noticed as soon as she regained some consciousness was the painful throb in her arm – had she been wounded? What happened? Everything was hazy and unfocused. She closed her eyes and opened them a few seconds later. She slowly made out the outline of someone hovering over her.

"I'm glad you're awake, miss!" sighed a relived voice.

Kagome struggled to sit up, which the stranger promptly aided by propping her up against some straws. "Who are you?" she asked in a cracked voice.

"Ah, I'm Hojo, how are you feeling Miss…?"

"Kagome." she answered.

"What happened?" he gingerly asked, in case it was a tender subject that was best left unasked. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to!" he quickly added when Kagome lapsed into silence.

"It's not that," she hoarsely whispered. "I just can't remember…anything except my name."

"Oh, that's okay."

"Can I have some water, please?" she asked.

"Right, of course, I'm such an idiot!" he cried as he poured Kagome a cup of tea. "Anyway, the village priestess has checked your wounds. She said you had minor scratches and stuff and that you would be fine. The only wound she was worried about was your arm – she said the arrow had been poisoned. However, you'll be fine if you get plenty of rest." Hojo handed the cup of tea to Kagome, who greedily downed the liquid.

"Can I have some more?"

"Of course," he replied, quickly refilling her cup.

&&&

"Damn, you cheated!" a handsome man growled before brushing his dark tresses out of his face. "We agreed we would NOT charm the girl! We said we would do it out of pure persuasiveness!" he continued, an unhappy frown marring his perfect face. One of his two companions just snorted at his childish behavior. "Hiei, are you disagreeing with me?" he challenged, glaring at his short companion.

"Kuronue, I think you are overreacting. It was just one human girl." his other companion smirked. "Just admit defeat, it's not that hard, you know?" he stated, his golden eyes alight with humor.

"I wasn't talking to you, you cheater!" Kuronue accused before glaring down at Hiei. Hiei narrowed his eyes defensively. Yes, they were companions and good friends, but that didn't mean they didn't fight. On the contrary, fighting and arguing was one of the few ways they showed each other that they cared – sort of.

"I don't recall cheating." his companion smoothly replied. "Can I help it if the human just turned to mush at the sight of me?" Hiei released a snort that sounded oddly like 'vain'.

"You're not THAT handsome!" Kuronue retorted, running his hand through his hair.

"Stop it," Hiei growled.

"Stop what?" Kuronue asked in annoyance.

"Playing with your hair." growled Hiei.

"Heh, what are you going to about it?" Kuronue taunted, before turning his attention back to his other companion. "Now where was I? Oh yes, you're not THAT handsome."

"I know," his companion replied, shocking both Hiei and Kuronue. "I happen to be gorgeous and extremely beautiful."

Hiei snorted, "You are both disgusting." This caused both of his companions to grin in a devious manner.

"We think you're pretty too, Hiei."

"Just not as beautiful as us." added Kuronue, earning a chuckle from his companion. Hiei scowled…he was going to blow a fuse…

Suddenly the air around them shimmered before Sesshoumaru stepped out from within a black rip in the air. "Ah, Sesshoumaru-sama." announced Kuronue, a smirk on his lips. "Have you finally decided to join us?"

"No," Sesshoumaru replied coldly, directing a glare at Kuronue. "I want to see you two in my chamber tonight." he continued, eyeing both Hiei and Kuronue. Sesshoumaru, Hiei, and Kuronue turned their attention to their forgotten companion when he began to tisk.

"Sesshoumaru, I never thought you to be one to do this."

"What are you talking about?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"For one, I prefer woman. But I guess we each have our preferences. But both of my companions at the same time?" he asked, a mischievous glint in his golden orbs. "I know they're great, but it might get a little rough if you borrow them at the same time. (Those two can't stay near each other for five second without fighting if I'm not around.) Now that I think about it, why don't I join the three of you tonight as well? We can use this experience as a bonding of some sort."

"You sick idiot," Hiei growled, causing a light chuckle to rumble forth from his companion's throat.

"That sounds like a great idea." Kuronue grinned. "I greatly approve of this." A look of disgust flickered over Hiei's face, causing both of his companions to fall into hysterical laughter.

"I do not delight in this carnal pleasure that you are so fond of," Sesshoumaru spat, "but tonight we are discussing important business."

"Does that mean next time will be friendship bonding?"

"Think what you will," Sesshoumaru replied before stepping into a black portal.

"Hey, Youko, I think we might have scared away Sesshoumaru-sama." Kuronue laughed.

"I don't think he's the only one we repulsed." Youko chuckled, motioning to the empty space their other companion used to occupy. "I really don't see why though…I only suggested that we become closer friends…what do you think they were thinking? And they said MY mind was always in the gutter."

Kuronue chuckled before narrowing his eyes. "You're still a cheater."

"I did not cheat!"

"You did too."

"I did not, but this isn't getting us anywhere. I propose a challenge."

"What challenge?"

"Two weeks."

"For what…?"

"Get the best girl. The loser proclaims, 'I'm an idiot and I am ugly, but will you be my mate?' to every living thing he meets for a whole week – regardless if the living thing happens to be a tree or a human. While asking this, he has to be on his knees and groveling."

"…"

"Scared?"

"You're on." Kuronue replied. "Be prepared to admit you're an ugly idiot to the whole world! I will have you licking the ground I walk!"

"Dream on…"

&&&

TBC

Read and Review. :)

_Thanks for all the wonderful reviews...for all my stores. :) You can only guess how surprised I was (in a good way) to find my mailbox flooded with inspiring reviews. I'm not going to answer any questions, because sooner or later, they'll be answered in the story. And if you guys want (tell me), I can explain how the system (angels, archangels, and etc) work. _


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or YYH!

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**Chance Encounter**

Kuronue flashed his companion a grim look before staring at the double doors before them. Hiei remained stoic, clearly still offended by the joke he and Youko had played earlier on that day. Before Kuronue could open his mouth, an audible, "Come in," could be heard from beyond the double doors.

Taking in a deep, calm breath, Kuronue pushed the doors open and stepped into the dimly lit room with his companion in tow. "Hey Sesshoumaru-sama," he greeted cheerfully, hopefully to lighten Sesshoumaru's sour mood. It didn't work.

"Shut the door," Sesshoumaru commanded in a steely voice. Kuronue immediately kicked the doors shut with a reverberating bang, much to Sesshoumaru's displeasure. "I said shut the door, not kick it shut." he growled.

"Then you should have been more specific." Kuronue muttered incoherently under his breath. "What did you call us for, Sesshoumaru-sama?" he decided it would be wise for his health to be serious around Sesshoumaru when Youko wasn't around. With a beckon for them to come closer, both Kuronue and Hiei complied.

"When you two were assigned to Youko, it was your duty to keep _him_ on duty. He has been known for being extremely _playful_ and having a knack for avoiding his responsibilities, which we ALL know. But instead of you two influencing him, it seems like he has influence you two. If you two are incapable of fulfilling your duty, you will be relieved from it and a suitable replacement will be found. Do I make myself clear?" Sesshoumaru asked coldly.

"All is understood, Sesshoumaru-sama." Kuronue replied through gritted teeth. Sesshoumaru could really get under his skin sometimes. Sesshoumaru turned his attention to Hiei, who hadn't uttered a word since he entered the room. But then again, he hadn't said a word since Youko's joke

"Hn," he snorted his understanding.

"You two may leave." dismissed Sesshoumaru as the two companions ambled out of his room with dark and ominous moods.

When they were a safe distance away from Sesshoumaru's earshot, Kuronue clenched his fists and growled, "Bastard, who the hell does he think he is?"

"Where's Youko?"

"Youko…? Damn, he got a head start!" yelped Kuronue before running off, leaving Hiei standing by himself in the dark corridor. Hiei blinked his ruby-red eyes, snorted, and turned in the opposite direction.

&&&

"Rinku, step forward." ordered Miroku as he pulled out a golden scroll. "I herby declare Rinku, a brave Guardian who had fought valiantly during the battle, a Warrior! With the holy powers bestowed upon me as Supreme Commander of the Army, I take Rinku from his mentor and make him my soldier. Is there any objections?"

Rinku grinned before bowing low.

"What kind of crap was that?" muttered Sango. "Holy powers…does he think of himself as a monk or priest?"

"Sh, Sango." hushed Keiko as Miroku pulled out another golden scroll.

"Momiji, step forward." commanded Miroku. "I herby declare Momiji, a rare beauty amongst the Guardians, a Warrior for her courageous efforts in the battle against the Dark Warriors. With the holy powers bestowed upon me as Supreme Commander of the Army, I take Momiji from her mentor and make her my soldier. Is there any objects?"

"A rare beauty amongst the guardians?" hissed Sango. "Does he think this is a beauty pageant?"

"Sango, calm yourself!" whispered Keiko when several eyes swiveled to the fuming Archangel.

"Shizuru, step forward." continued Miroku, whipping out the last golden scroll. "I herby declare Shizuru Kuwabara, the most outstanding warrior I have had since I became commander, a Captain for her strong will and quick thinking. With the holy powers bestowed upon me as Supreme Commander of the Army, I…hm…well, I guess I really can't take you from myself…" laughed Miroku.

"That idiot!" growled Sango before storming off with Keiko in tow.

"Is there any objections?" asked Miroku, oblivious to the brewing storm in the form of his beloved Archangel.

&&&

"Are you sure you can't remember anything?" prodded Hojo.

"All I remember is silver hair and gold eyes…then I blacked out." Kagome truthfully replied while taking a sip of the hot, green tea Hojo's mother had made for her.

"Gold eyes and silver hair…Ah, then you must have been attacked by a youkai!" exclaimed Hojo, jumping to his feet, startling Kagome with his sudden action, which caused her to spill her tea. "Oh, I am so sorry Kagome-san! I didn't mean to startle you! Here, let me get you another cup while you go change your clothes. I swear I won't look!"

"I trust you, Hojo-san." assured Kagome even though she kept her eyes locked on the back of Hojo's head as she changed. Well, you could just never be to sure when it came to men – even if it was a man who had saved her. "I'm done," smiled Kagome. "You can turn around now."

Hojo handed Kagome a new cup of tea before proclaiming, "I promise to always protect you from harm, Kagome-san!"

"Um, thank you…Hojo-san." Kagome whispered, quickly averting her eyes to her tea. She missed the dark blush that quickly enveloped Hojo's face at her response. "That's really sweet of you." If possible, Hojo's face turned an even darker shade of red at Kagome's compliment. "Is it okay if you give me a tour of your village? I want to walk around – I feel kind of stiff after being in bed for the last three days."

"Oh, of course, I'd be glad to show you around Kagome-san!" beamed Hojo.

&&&

"We will not declare war on the Dark World, especially after that battle three days ago. We need time to recuperate."

"By my lord," began Kurama, "they have the Princess."

"We don't know that."

"The princess disappeared at the exact time the Dark World attacked us. Their target was most likely the Princess."

"Kurama, you are the most intelligent and skilled Deity in heaven, but whereas my daughter is concerned, you don't think clearly." smiled the Queen. "I know how you feel about my daughter and I know she has feelings for you too."

"M-Milady," stuttered Kurama, suddenly at a loss for words.

The Queen laughed softly before giving the deity a warm smile. "My daughter has mentioned to me multiple times of her wish to visit Earth. I always refused. She probably found a way to sneak to earth before the Dark World even attacked. After all, if the Dark World kidnapped my daughter, why didn't they take this chance to kill us too?"

"I…I wasn't thinking." admitted Kurama.

"It's all right; I know how you're feeling at the moment, Kurama. Give orders to cancel the preparation for war. Instead, send out everyone to search the earth for my daughter. However, do this discreetly, there is no need to startle earth's inhabitants or alert the Dark World of my daughter's location. If they find out, then she will really be kidnapped."

"Yes milady," Kurama replied before bowing and exciting the throne room.

&&&

"Shizuru, my lovely, how is training coming along?" Miroku asked as he gave his new captain an once-over. "I must say you look lovely in this new outfit. I would have made you captain earlier if I had known that!"

"Sir, my men's training is coming along perfectly." replied Shizuru, ignoring Miroku's previous comments. "My troops are ready for your orders!"

"Then maybe you'll see me in my chambers after this is over," Miroku whispered huskily in her ear.

A frown marred the captain's face as she, without moving, replied, "Sir, this is of utmost important. This is no time for jokes." Miroku sighed before nodding his agreement. He then moved on.

"Ah, Kazuma, are you ready?" Miroku questioned.

"Of course I'm ready!" the orange-topped warrior replied before flexing his muscles. "My sis would have had my head if I wasn't." he replied, chancing a glance at his elder sister. "She's a slave driver." he whispered while gently kneading the back of his skull. Miroku chuckled slightly at Kuwabara's distraught face.

"Kohaku, how are you coming along?" Miroku asked with a small grin.

"Fine, sir." replied Kohaku.

"That's good to hear," Miroku stated before whispering, "And might I add that you have a very beautiful sister." Kohaku raised an eyebrow, but decided not to comment on the matter. After all, Miroku was known throughout heaven for his lecherous ways and thoughts.

"We are all ready for war!" the army stated in unison, causing Miroku to blink his eyes in confusion.

"What war?" he asked.

"The war we were preparing for." Kuwabara supplied.

"This isn't for war…" Miroku trailed off.

"Then what is this for then? A pre-war drill?" demanded Shizuru, clearly unhappy with the news.

"No, no, don't get me wrong! It wasn't my fault! Kurama-sama just gave orders this morning to cancel our preparations for war against the Dark World. According to him, the princess is somewhere on earth. The Dark World didn't kidnap her." explained Miroku. "It was all a mistake, but our new mission is to find her and bring her back here. However, we will do this discreetly because one, we are not to startle earth's inhabitants and two, we don't want to alert the Dark World of our princess's whereabouts."

"We are at your command, sir." Kohaku replied, voicing everyone's thoughts.

"Then let's split up and start searching." Miroku commanded. "With the holy powers bestowed upon me as Supreme Commander by the Deity Kurama, you all have permission to go to earth. However, you must all report back to me in a month. You will be punished severely if you are not back by the deadline."

"Permission to speak, sir," stated Shizuru.

"Speak," ordered Miroku.

"First, what was the point of arranging an army if we were just going to split up again? Second, what does the Princess look like?" Shizuru asked, slightly miffed by her Commander's joke.

"The army arrangement was just for my entertainment," Miroku admitted sheepishly, earning several death glares. "As for the princess's appearance, I haven't the slightest clue. But I know she must be exceptionally beautiful! So, all we have to do is round up all the beautiful ladies and one of them is bound to be her!"

Shizuru rolled her eyes and refrained from slapping her forehead in exasperation. Her commander was as hopeless as her bother sometimes.

&&&

"Hojo-san, your village is huge." Kagome whispered in an awed voice. "I've never seen anything like it, but of course, I wouldn't remember even if I did." she finished dejectedly.

"The healer said you'll eventually regain your memories, Kagome-san." Hojo soothingly assured. "Why don't we go for a walk in the fields? It's not far from the village and it has a variety of beautiful flowers."

"That sounds great!" Kagome agreed before hurrying towards the indicated direction.

"Kagome-san, slow down, you'll reopen your wounds!" shouted a distressed Hojo as he ran after Kagome, who was remarkably fast for someone who was supposed to be severely injured. Thankfully, Kagome slowed to a more comfortable pace once they exited the village. "Does it hurt anywhere?" Hojo asked worriedly.

"I'm fine, Hojo-san, stop worrying about me."

"All right, but the moment somewhere hurts; you must promise to tell me. I'll take you back home."

"I promise." Kagome felt a small pang at the word home. Was the village really her home now? Where was her home before? Shaking her head, she cleared her melancholy thoughts. She didn't need these depressing thoughts – she was here to enjoy herself today after being cooped up for three days!

She grinned brightly when she spotted the colorful flower fields. "It's beautiful, Hojo-san!"

"I'm glad you like it!" Hojo replied, sounding as if he was the one who had created all this. He watched with a warm smile as Kagome began to collect a bouquet of various flower. "Kagome, your so innocent and beautiful." he whispered before quickly blushing a deep red. He hadn't meant to say that out loud…good thing she was too far away to hear it.

&&&

"The crowning is 11 days from now and the princess is somewhere on earth! This is just great!" Sango growled, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "If she isn't found soon, the crowning will have to be pushed back. As if that isn't bad enough," Sango stopped for emphasis, "I'm stuck with her!" she finished, jabbing an accusing finger at Kikyou. "Damn, don't you know how huge earth is? If she doesn't want to be found, it could take years!" she scowled.

"That is why all the deities are helping as well. They usually don't do this kind of work…neither do us. But this time, everyone's enrolled into the assignment. After all, according to you, this is the Lord and Lady's ONLY heir." Keiko replied soothingly. "And Kikyou's not THAT bad once you get to know her."

"I don't want to get to know her!" Sango spat. "I already hate her when I DON'T' know her. I hate to think what I'll do if I DO know her!" The furious archangel took deep breaths to calm her racing heart

"If Sango-_sama_ and Keiko-_sama_ are done," Kikyou stated frigidly with a stiff bow, "we still have a mission to accomplish."

"You're insufferable!" growled Sango as she brushed passed the High Angel with Keiko in tow. Straightening her back, Kikyou grudgingly followed her two superiors.

&&&

Kagome hummed a small, off-key tune as she picked another Chrysanthemum, adding it to her growing bundle of flowers.

"So I assume it's safe to say you like my flowers?" a seductive voice whispered in Kagome's ear from behind. She shuddered at the feel of hot breath caressing her bare skin.

"H-Hojo?" she asked unsurely. She felt like smacking her head as soon as she uttered the boy's name. Of course it wasn't Hojo! One, Hojo would never have the courage to invade her personal space like that – at least, she hoped not. Two, the boy didn't have such a deep and seductive voice. Three, well…it just couldn't be him!

"You mean that pathetic excuse for a human?"

Kagome quickly stepped out of the man's reach and whirled around to face the stranger. Her jaw dropped as she gaped at the half-clothed youkai, who apparently felt no shame for being slightly underdressed. Tearing her gaze from his muscled arms (though it was far from bulky) and perfectly chiseled chest, she redirected her attention to his face.

"I-It's you!" Kagome accused upon the sight of the youkai's silver hair and golden eyes.

"I'll save you Kagome-san!" shouted Hojo, who had obviously arrived at the same conclusion about the youkai as Kagome. Kagome watched with horror as Hojo charged head on at the unfazed youkai, who seemed fairly amused.

"NO, Hojo don't!"

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TBC

Read and Review. ;)

**Here's the basic status order:**

King and Queen

Prince and Princess

Deities

_High __Archangel, __Supreme Councilor,Supreme Commander _

_Archangels, Councilors, Generals_

_High Angels, Strategists, Captains _

_Angels, Assistants, Warriors_

Guardians

Maidens/Guards

Messengers

Mystic creatures

_(For the italizaed section, it means they have equal power, but are from a different branch. For example, the High Archangel, Supreme Councilor, and Supreme Commander have the same amount of power, but they work for different branches of the system - like military, legislative, and etc.) _

In case your confused, it's all right...it's not that important.


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